The morning news just showed smart PJs – pajamas for bedtime stories. The $25 Smart PJ’s,which are available in pink and blue, have 47 colorful dot patterns that work with an app. When a camera on a tablet or phone is held over the dots, the app will launch an interactive bedtime story or show other types of educational content, including photos of animals or objects.
From what I can tell they use technology like QR codes to allow your smart phone to scan the dots on the pajamas and pull up information. – The QR Code to the left pulls up Googles web site but could easily be set up to pull up any page that I would have liked. To create your own QR Code you can use the website – http://www.qrstuff.com/index.html – QR Codes can be included on business cards, screen printed on shirts, or even shown with a projector and scanned with your smart phone.
The real question though is should kids be taking a smart phone to bed and pulling up their own bedtime stories? In some ways this is great, kids get the fun of playing with technology and improve their reading – but they are missing out on that family time that is so important.
I am a SAHM/WAHM of three boys ranging in age from 13 to 29. We are working on saving enough for college at the same time as dealing with school and our older independent kids. I author a few blogs, including http://teched4kids.com. I have in the past taught computer information technology classes for the local university and taught workshops for kid's in technology education besides being the Kentucky State FIRST LEGO League Championship Coordinator from 2005 to 2008. I now work as a computer consultant, run a handmade home business, and am available for workshops. Life here is always an adventure!
